Here is how to make my multiple award-winning Double Barrel Chili at home! The keys to success are uniformly diced vegetables & fresh chili powder.
This recipe makes a lot of chili. In fact, it is called "Double Barrel" because I usually end up needing a second crock pot - which also allows for ladeling portions between the crock pots to tune your flavors and consistency, if you're interested in that sort of thing thing! 🌶️ 🏆
👨🍳 Uses my Double Barrel Chili Powder recipe 🌶️
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the Beans
Soak the dried pinto beans overnight in cold water. Drain and transfer them to a medium pot. Cover the beans with chicken stock and simmer for about 2 hours, or until tender. Drain and transfer the cooked beans to a slow cooker.
Prepare the Vegetables
Dice the white onion, sweet onion, half of the red onion (reserve the other half for optional pickling topping), red pepper, green pepper, yellow/orange pepper, poblano pepper, and jalapeño pepper.
Mince the garlic.
Dice the serrano peppers.
Brown the Meats
In a skillet over medium heat, brown the sausage in one batch. Remove and set aside. In the same skillet, brown the ground beef in batches. While browning, season the beef generously with chili powder and a splash of Worcestershire sauce midway through cooking. Transfer both the cooked sausage and beef to the slow cooker.
Caramelize the Onions and Garlic
In the same skillet, melt a tablespoon of butter with a drizzle of oil over medium-low heat. Add the diced sweet onion and white onion and sauté for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn soft and golden. Add the minced garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes. Transfer the onion-garlic mixture to the slow cooker.
Cook the Peppers
Using the same skillet, melt another tablespoon of butter with a drizzle of oil over medium-low heat. Add the diced peppers and chilies. Sauté for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant. Transfer the pepper mixture to the slow cooker.
Combine and Slow Cook
Add the canned tomatoes (tomato sauce, petite diced tomatoes, and stewed tomatoes if using) and the canned beans (Chili Magic and Chili Beans in sauce) to the slow cooker. Sprinkle in half of the remaining chili powder. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients. Cover and set the slow cooker to high until the chili begins to bubble, about 1-2 hours. Then reduce the heat to low or warm, and let it cook for at least 4 hours or overnight for best flavor development. The longer it cooks, the better the flavors meld.
Serve and Store
Serve hot, garnished with pickled red onions and sliced jalapeños if desired. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer storage. This chili reheats beautifully and tastes even better the next day!
🥒 Top with my Pickled Vegetables 🌶️
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